Patent application title: Umbrella

Abstract:

An umbrella provided with motor means suitable for automatically carrying
out the closing and opening operations. The umbrella is provided with
sticks suitable for rotating so as to move, in a closed configuration,
into a shaft of the umbrella, along with the relevant covering sheet.

Claims:

1. An umbrella comprising a support staff directed along a prevailing
extension, a covering sheet, at least one stick, suitable for supporting
said covering sheet, said stick being hinged to a support plate, moving
relative to said support staff along said prevailing extension wherein
said umbrella comprises motor means operatively connected to said support
plate suitable for moving the sticks from an open configuration to a
closed configuration, in said closed configuration the sticks moving to a
configuration substantially parallel to the prevailing direction, and
wherein said umbrella comprises a shaft, directed along said prevailing
extension and arranged about said support staff so that in a closed
configuration of the umbrella, said shaft internally encloses said sticks
and said covering sheet.

2. An umbrella according to claim 1, comprising a stick movement unit,
suitable for allowing in automatic manner the opening/closing movement of
the umbrella, said movement unit being operatively connected to the motor
means for allowing the opening/closing of the umbrella.

3. An umbrella according to claim 2, wherein said movement unit is
contained within the shaft.

4. An umbrella according to claim 2, wherein said movement unit comprises
a threaded staff that acts as support staff.

5. An umbrella according to claim 4, wherein said threaded staff is
associated by engaging to a nut screw that can axially slide on the
threaded staff.

6. An umbrella according to claim 5, wherein the nut screw is integral in
translation with a support plate to which the sticks are hinged through
hinges.

7. An umbrella according to claim 6, wherein the support plate slides on
sliding guides, arranged along said prevailing direction.

8. An umbrella according to claim 7, wherein the sliding guides are
contained within said shaft.

9. An umbrella according to claim 8, wherein the nut screw is supported by
bearings and supports an electro-magnetic brake, suitable for making the
nut screw integral with the plate.

10. An umbrella according to claim 1, wherein the sticks comprise a sleeve
and a stem sliding into the sleeve so as to be seated in said sleeve in a
closed configuration of the umbrella.

11. An umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said sticks, at a moving end
of the stem are connected to the covering sheet.

12. An umbrella according to claim 1, wherein the sticks comprise an inner
screw on which a sliding block, contained inside the sleeve, engages,
said block being integral in translation with the stem so as to allow a
translation movement of the stem and of the sheet constrained thereto.

13. An umbrella according to claim 12, wherein the inner screw is
supported by bearings and is integral in rotation with a friction wheel.

14. An umbrella according to claim 1, comprising a plate integral in
rotation with the motor means, said plate being associated to a sliding
plate suitable for interfacing by contact with friction wheels integral
with said stems for actuating the opening/closing movement of the stems.

15. An umbrella according to claim 1, comprising a driving joint that
connects the drive shaft of the motor means to the threaded staff.

16. An umbrella according to claim 15, wherein thrust means are inserted
between the joint and the plate suitable for influencing in abutment a
sliding surface associated to the plate against the friction wheels so as
to ensure a friction force sufficient for transmitting the rotational
motion from the motor to the stems of the sticks.

17. An umbrella according to claim 1, comprising a stick guiding stop that
allows maintaining the sticks in equidistant position and provides a
counter-thrust to the stick, such as to allow the best adhesion of the
screw connecting wheel to the sliding surface.

18. An umbrella according to claim 1, wherein the umbrella comprises a
sheet tensioning plate, axially sliding on said support staff, said plate
being suitable for tensioning the sheet towards the support staff.

19. An umbrella according to claim 18, wherein a threaded bush or nut
screw is inserted between the sheet tensioning plate and the threaded
staff so as to engage with the threading of the threaded staff.

20. An umbrella according to claim 18, wherein the plate is preferably
connected to return or tensioning springs, operatively connected to the
sheet, so as to pre-tension the sheet, constraining the sheet to the
axial movement of the plate.

21. An umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said stick movement unit
comprises cables, controlled by motor means, intended for the vertical
pulling of the plate on the support guides.

22. An umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said stick movement unit
comprises a rack staff, associated to a gear controlled by said motor
means, for transforming the rotational motion into translatory motion
from the bottom upwards, and vice versa, of the plate on the support
guides.

23. An umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said stick movement unit
comprises an actuator, consisting of a motor with telescopic stem,
intended for the vertical translation movement of the plate on the
support guides.

24. An umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said umbrella is provided
with a covering cap provided, at outlet zones of the sticks, with hinged
tongues for ensuring the umbrella protection from water.

25. An umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said covering sheet is
arranged below the sticks.

26. An umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said covering sheet is
arranged above the sticks.

27. An umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said covering sheet is
arranged laterally between the sticks.

28. An umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said motor means comprise an
electrical motor driven by DC, CA, or by electrical energy produced by
solar cells.

29. An umbrella according to claim 1, wherein the motor means are of the
oil-pressure or pneumatic type.

30. An umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said motor means are
arranged inside the shaft or on top of the umbrella.

31. An umbrella according to claim 1, wherein the umbrella comprises a
sheet tensioning counterweight, arranged at the end of the sheet itself,
which can freely slide by gravity.

32. An umbrella according to claim 1, wherein the rotational motion is
transmitted from the motor to the stems of the sticks through gears
connected to each other.

33. An umbrella according to claim 1, wherein the rotational motion is
transmitted from the motor to the stems of the sticks through motors
inserted in the sleeve outer stick, which are integral with an inner
screw.

34. An umbrella according to claim 1, comprising cables, with or without
winding reels which, inserted in the sleeve outer stick and connected to
the stem, thanks to the rotational motion transmitted by the motor, move
the stems.

Description:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001]The present invention relates to an umbrella, and in particular an
umbrella with automatic opening-closing, by a special movement system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002]Making umbrellas or beach umbrellas provided with automatic
opening/closing mechanisms, for example provided with spring systems that
facilitate in particular the operation for opening the umbrella, is known
in the art.

[0003]Such umbrellas of the prior art, however, exhibit several
disadvantages, as they are not easy to use and often require the manual
closing of the covering. Moreover, there are systems for opening-closing
umbrellas by handles or something else, but also these are not very
practical to use. In fact, the closing operation often is not much easy
since the umbrella, during the closing movement, closes about the central
shaft, with the risk of interfering with or hitting the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004]The problem of the present invention is to provide an umbrella which
should solve the disadvantages mentioned with reference to the prior art.

[0005]Such disadvantages are solved by an umbrella in accordance with
claim 1.

[0006]Further embodiments of the umbrella according to the invention are
described in the following claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]Further features and the advantages of the present invention will
appear more clearly from the following description of preferred
non-limiting embodiments thereof, wherein:

[0008]FIG. 1 shows a front view of an umbrella, in an open configuration,
according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0009]FIG. 2 shows a front view of the umbrella of FIG. 1, in a closed
configuration;

[0010]FIG. 3 shows a perspective, partial section view of a detail of the
umbrella of FIG. 1;

[0011]FIG. 4 shows a further section view of a detail of the umbrella of
FIG. 1;

[0012]FIG. 5 shows a further section view of a detail of FIG. 1;

[0013]FIG. 6 shows an enlarged view of detail VI of FIG. 1;

[0014]FIG. 7 shows an enlarged view of detail VII of FIG. 1.

[0015]Elements or parts of elements in common between the embodiments
described below are referred to with the same reference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016]With reference to the above figures, reference numeral 4 globally
denotes an umbrella; the term umbrella must be understood in non-limiting
terms and therefore, the umbrella may have various sizes, even though it
is especially indicated to be used as garden umbrella, beach umbrella and
the like.

[0017]Umbrella 4 comprises a shaft or case 200, directed along a
prevailing direction X, a plurality of sticks 400 suitable for supporting
a covering sheet 502 and a base 900 securable to the ground.

[0018]Said sticks 400, preferably at a moving end 404, are suitable for
supporting said sheet 502.

[0019]The sticks may consist of a single piece or of multiple pieces with
telescopic or folding extensibility. According to a preferred embodiment,
the sticks comprise a sleeve or staff outer tubing 402 and a stem or
inner telescopic staff 403 sliding into sleeve 402.

[0020]According to an embodiment, umbrella 4 advantageously comprises a
stick movement unit 300 suitable for allowing an opening and closing
movement of the sticks, said movement preferably being a
rotary-translatory movement. Advantageously, said movement unit is
operatively connected to motor means 102 for allowing the umbrella
opening/closing.

[0021]The umbrella comprises a support staff 699, preferably contained
into the sleeve or shaft 200, suitable for allowing a movement, along the
prevailing extension X, for opening and closing the umbrella.

[0022]According to an embodiment, said movement unit 300 comprises a
threaded staff or control screw 700 that also acts as support staff 699.

[0023]The umbrella is provided with a covering cap 100 provided, at outlet
zones of the sticks, with hinged tongues 101 for ensuring the umbrella
protection from water.

[0024]Advantageously, the umbrella is provided with motor means, such as
an electrical motor for example driven by DC, AC or even by energy
produced by solar cells suitably placed on any portion of the umbrella.
According to an embodiment, said electrical motor is arranged into the
shaft or, according to a preferred embodiment, on top of the umbrella.

[0025]According to further embodiments, the motor means are of the
oil-pressure or pneumatic type so as to move the umbrella itself in
opening and closing without manual effort.

[0026]According to an embodiment, sheet 502 is below the sticks but
another construction solution provides for the arrangement of sheet 502
both onto the sticks and in a version with side connection of the sheet
to sticks 400.

[0027]According to an embodiment, said threaded staff 700 is associated by
engaging to a nut screw 301 that can axially slide on the staff itself.

[0028]Nut screw 301 is integral in translation with a support plate 306 to
which the sticks are hinged through hinges 408 and 409.

[0029]The support plate 306 preferably slides on sliding guides 800,
arranged along said prevailing direction X. The sliding guides 800 are
preferably contained in said sleeve or shaft 200.

[0031]According to an embodiment, the sticks comprise an inner screw 405
on which a sliding block 406, contained inside sleeve 402, engages. Block
406 is integral in translation with stem 403 so as to allow a translation
movement of stem 403 and in particular of end 404 that is constrained to
sheet 502.

[0032]The inner screw 405 is supported by bearings 407 and is integral in
rotation with a clutch 401 that ends with a friction wheel 410.

[0033]The umbrella comprises a plate 311 integral in rotation with the
motor means 102. Plate 311 is integrally associated to a sliding plate
310 suitable for interfacing by contact with said friction wheels 410 so
as to transmit the rotational motion of the motor means to the stems.

[0034]The umbrella comprises a driving joint 315 that connects the drive
shaft of the motor means to the movement unit 300, for example to the
threaded staff 700. Thrust means 313, for example helical springs, and
bearings, such as axial 314 and radial 312 bearings, are advantageously
inserted between joint 315 and plate 311.

[0035]The elastic means 313 advantageously influence the sliding surface
310 in abutment against the friction wheels 410 so as to ensure a
friction force sufficient for transmitting the rotational motion from
motor 102 to stems 403 of sticks 400.

[0036]According to an embodiment, the motor means are integral with a
locking plate 316.

[0037]Preferably, umbrella 4 comprises a stick guiding stop 415 that
allows maintaining the sticks in equidistant position, also performing
the task of giving a counter-thrust to the stick, such as to allow the
best adhesion of the screw connecting wheel 410 to the sliding surface
310.

[0038]Advantageously, the umbrella comprises a sheet tensioning plate 500,
preferably sliding axially on said support staff 699 or threaded staff
700; a threaded bush or nut screw 503 is inserted between the plate and
the threaded staff 700 so as to engage with the threading of the staff
itself.

[0039]The plate is preferably connected to return or tensioning springs
501 that are connected to sheet 500 by eyelets, so as to pre-tension the
sheet, constraining the sheet to the vertical movement of plate 500.

[0040]The movement of plate 311 through the threaded staff 700 allows the
actuation of the telescopic sticks of the umbrella through wheels 410, in
turn connected to the inner screw 405 through clutch 401.

[0041]The telescopic movement of the sticks that support the umbrella
sheet is obtained through the connection of the staff inner screw 405
with the block sliding on screw 406 arranged into the staff outer tubing
402.

[0042]According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the
movement along the prevailing direction X of said movement unit 300 can
be ensured, in place of the control screw or threaded staff 700, by
cables, with or without reel for the winding thereof, intended for the
vertical pulling of plate 306 on the support guides 800.

[0043]According to a further embodiment of the present invention, said
movement unit 300, in replacement of the control screw or threaded staff
700, comprises a rack staff, associated to a gear controlled by said
motor means, for example positioned as desired, for transforming the
rotational motion into translatory motion from the bottom upwards, and
vice versa, of plate 306 on the support guides 800.

[0044]According to a further embodiment of the present invention, said
movement unit 300 comprises an actuator, consisting of a motor with
telescopic stem, in replacement of the control screw 700, intended for
the vertical translation movement of plate 306 on the support guides 800.

[0046]Moreover, according to a further embodiment, in said stick movement
unit wheels 410, which control the inner screws of the sticks, can be
replaced with other solutions with gears, cables, with or without reels
for the winding thereof, or with electrical motors for each stick.

[0047]The operation of an umbrella according to the present invention will
now be described.

[0048]One of the innovative aspects of the present finding consists in
that the umbrella is of the foldaway type, that is, the sticks and the
sheet, which traditionally make up any umbrella, are made so as to
protrude from and retract into, the shaft, from the top.

[0049]The closing of this umbrella takes place the opposite of the
conventional umbrellas-beach umbrellas. The umbrella portion consisting
of the covering, once inserted from the top into the shaft, is not
visible anymore. The shaft therefore becomes the case of the
umbrella/beach umbrella, which thus obtains a permanent protection even
when not used for a long time.

[0050]The open umbrella, subject of the invention described, can take up a
horizontal position, relative to the shaft, but it is also capable of
taking up positions similar to the conventional umbrellas, that is,
inclined downwards or also upwards, according to the construction type.

[0051]Following the actuation of the motor means, for example by a button,
the umbrella opens as follows. The threaded staff starts the rotation,
causing the rise of the stick translation unit which, at the end of the
stroke, makes the wheels adhere to the movement unit for the extension of
the sticks. The opening may be actuated as desired, that is, by a remote
control or by a button on panel.

[0052]The threaded staff 700 operates the stick movement and translation
units. A first step provides to the rise of the translation box which,
once the end of stroke position has been reached, for example through a
special electrical contact, disconnects the electro-magnetic brake 305
making the nut screw 301 idle and thus releasing the same from the
threaded staff 700.

[0053]In such position, sticks 400 reach a substantially horizontal
position so that the friction wheels 410 come into contact with the
sliding or friction surface 310 of plate 311.

[0054]The other steps keeps plate 311, which belongs to the stick movement
unit, in rotation and actuates screw connecting wheels 410, which control
the extension and the return of the sticks (FIG. 5).

[0055]Screw 700 is connected to nut screw 301, intended for adhering to
staff 700 through the electromagnetic brake 305, which disconnects when
the entire stick translation box has risen and has reached the end of
stroke relay. The screw is further connected to the sticks, which have
been idle so far and which, in the adhesion to the sliding surface 310
that is integral to plate 311, start moving controlled by the inner screw
405. In turn, the screw is controlled by the rotation of wheel 410.

[0056]According to the direction of rotation, therefore, the inner
telescopic staff 403 extends or retracts moving sheet 502 therewith,
which constantly remains tensioned by the effect of the tensioning
springs 501. The sheet tensioning plate 500, on guides, continuously
slides along the threaded staff or control screw 700, keeping the
distance thereof from the stick ends almost constant.

[0057]In the rotational operation thereof, the control screw 700 pulls the
sheet tensioning plate 500, with vertical translation movement, thanks to
the fact that plate 500 itself cannot rotate on itself as it is guided by
the guide bars 800 arranged into shaft 200. Said plate 500 runs through
the entire shaft 200 keeping sheet 502, intended for extending for
forming the umbrella covering, tensioned through springs 501.

[0058]In a further embodiment, plate 500 is eliminated, sheet 502 is free
and the tensioning thereof is ensured by counterweights arranged at the
end of the sheet itself.

[0059]The stick guiding stop 415 allows maintaining the sticks in
equidistant position, also performing the task of giving a counter-thrust
to the stick, such as to allow the best adhesion of the screw connecting
wheel 410 to the sliding surface 310.

[0060]Moreover, the adhesion of the screw connecting wheel 410 is ensured
by the thrust spring 313.

[0061]When the umbrella reaches the closing position, the telescopic
sticks arrange in vertical position and the movement unit in low
position, the whole contained within shaft 200; in other words, the
sticks gather upwards and insert into shaft 200.

[0062]As can be understood from the description, the umbrella according to
the present invention allows overcoming the disadvantages of the
umbrellas of the prior art.

[0063]The mechanism used for the umbrella can found application for any
other type of protection such as rain umbrella, sun protection on boats
or else, it may be made with different configurations, provided it can
then be automatically reinserted into the shaft, etc.

[0064]The invention may for example be used into hotel gardens, in bathing
establishments or, in the agricultural field, to protect the plantations
by suitably replacing the covering sheet with anti-hail net, etc.

[0065]The finding is to be regarded as innovative, as compared to the
previous solutions, since the opening and closing operations do not
require any efforts by the operator. It is understood that, given the
possibility of being actuated by a remote control, it is possible to open
and close a desired number of such umbrellas, in a sequence or at the
same time, or one at a time, by an opening-closing control panel/device.

[0066]A man skilled in the art may make several changes and adjustments to
the umbrellas described above in order to meet specific and incidental
needs, all falling within the scope of protection defined in the
following claims.